Remember the days when the DJ was the coolest guy on the airwaves? Back then the pirate radio stations used to be the voice of reason, and the guy on the mic was the one speaking the truth that the FCC and other various agencies would assure you was nothing but a pack of lies. Christian Slater was a bad boy in his prime and a rebel at heart. Pump Up The Volume was a rallying cry to the youth of the time to stand up and be heard, to let their voices be counted, and to stand up against the system that was actively trying to keep them down. Nowadays the FCC is a powerhouse that would squash more pirate radio stations, meaning that someone would have to get extremely creative and crafty to get this kind of message across.
They can’t ban all the airwaves, right? Here’s how a reboot of Pump Up The Volume might be able to work.
Director – Lee Daniels
Daniels knows how to direct the type of shows and movies that people want to watch. But more importantly is that he knows about a rebellious attitude and knows what it takes to bring it to the screen. His brand of directing would help to deliver the punch that this film would need to really gain traction with today’s youth and reach them on a level they can understand.
Mark Hunter – Lucas Till
He’s getting a bit old to be performing teenage roles but he should still be able to pull it off. Till has had experience with character roles that have had issues with their attitude, so it’s no real stretch of the imagination to state that he should be able to take on such a role with ease. In fact it could possibly be a defining role for him if it was done correctly.
Nora Diniro – Chloe Moretz
She’s another name that might be workable for this kind of movie since she too has played characters that have definite attitude and could slip into the part very easily. She could bring that type of bad girl/good girl dynamic that could help to balance out Mark’s loner mentality. Plus, even though she’s starting to get a little older too she can still play a younger part.
Loretta Cresswood – Frances Fisher
She has the right look for someone that might be entangled with something shady going on at a school, and she has played roles in the past that allowed her to be unreasonably tough and even cruel. But more than that, Fisher’s depth at any role is what makes her one of the best in the business and why she would be perfect for the part.
Plot
The plot of the film should be kept the same, but instead of DJing Mark would need to be running a website or a podcast in order to reach the maximum number of people. Also, his influence should be felt not just locally, but in several different areas of the US, thereby assuring FCC involvement. Plus, as a nod to the original film it would be nice to see a few pieces of antiquated equipment, a few old tapes, and of course some CD’s lying around.
This film was popular in its own time, but has been largely forgotten. I think it’s time we blow the dust off it and remind kids of today just what it means to let your voice be heard.
This is the movie with Christian Slater. How could it be redone today? Probably with Podcasts. Who would star? etc etc.
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